Dushanbe communique adopted at ECO Foreign Ministers Council meeting

Azerbaijan’s delegation took part at the 23rd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on April 17.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev represented the country at the event.

During the visit, Mammadguliyev has had a meeting with Tajik Foreign Minister Sirocaddin Aslov.

The sides noted traditional partnership ties between the two countries, held broad discussion on development of cooperation in political, economic, cultural and other spheres.

Speaking at the ECO ministerial, Mammadguliyev said that Azerbaijan is engaged in active cooperation within the framework of the ECO and supports development of comprehensive cooperation among the member states.

He noted that Azerbaijan put forward a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening practical cooperation and promoting regional transport corridor projects. Mammadguliyev also briefed about Azerbaijan’s political, economic stability, as well as fundamental reforms implemented in the country.

As a result of the 23rd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the ECO, Dushanbe Communiqué was adopted.

In the document, the ministers expressed concern about the unresolved conflicts in the ECO region, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which hinder the economic growth and realization of full economic potential of the region and impede development of economic cooperation.

They also stressed the importance of making increased efforts for the earliest resolution of these conflicts based on the norms and principles of international law, in particular the principles of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The document also underlined the importance of large-scale regional transport and energy projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the North-South transport corridor, as well as the Baku-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, the expanded Baku-Erzurum Gas Pipeline, the Iran- Azerbaijan-Russia electricity transmission line.